ONCE, ONLY TOP-LEVEL sports photographers could snap those epic, snow-spraying, barrel-surfing shots. But with advances in action cameras—small, durable devices designed to capture athletic exploits amid extreme situations—amateurs can record themselves hitting the slopes or riding trails, creating pro-quality footage even if their shooting and sports skills are rather wobbly.
“Is it as easy to use as my smartphone?” asked Michael J. Wolf, co-founder of Activate Inc., a strategy and tech consulting firm. “That’s the standard...